Chapter 10 New Director

The steady and powerful engine sound of the Bentley Mulsanne seemed to still be roaring in Yu Ling's ears. The wrapping feeling of the top-grade leather seats, the intricate and delicate buttons on the control panel, and the astonished and awed gaze of the security guard when driving into the company's underground garage, everything seemed like a bizarre dream.

She parked the car in the ridiculously spacious exclusive parking space at No. 18, Zone B, almost with her hands and feet weak. She pulled out the heavy key, and her palms were wet.

Before I could digest this huge shock, the company's sudden emergency meeting was like a basin of cold water poured over my head.

The atmosphere in the conference room was so tense it could be squeezed out of water. On the projection screen were alarming red arrows and a plummeting graph—core data from the three days since the "Star Ocean Project" launch: user activation rates were far below expectations, retention rates were abysmal, and the conversion funnel was practically broken at a crucial stage! The massive marketing investment seemed to have been wasted!

Director Chen's face turned pale, and his knuckles drummed on the table, making a dull sound. "What's going on?! Hasn't this plan been carefully considered?! Zhang Wei! You're the chief planner! Tell me! What's the problem?!"

The spearhead was directed at Zhang Wei. The complacent spirit she had displayed at the previous launch meeting had long since vanished. Her delicately made-up face was completely drained of color. Her eyes frantically scanned the cold data on the screen, her lips trembling as she struggled to form a complete sentence: "This... this could be... user habits... or... a technical interface..."

"Maybe?! Or?!" Director Chen slammed the table with a thunderous roar. "I want the specific cause and solution! Not your guesses! The company invested millions of dollars, and all it gets is a rip?!"

Zhang Wei trembled all over when she was yelled at, and subconsciously looked for help at Yu Ling, who was sitting in the corner with a pale face.

Yu Ling sneered inwardly, but remained impassive. Just as Zhang Wei's triumph at taking credit for the project was matched by her current humiliation. But she felt a heavy weight on her heart. She had designed the core framework and implementation details of the plan, and she had built the data model. Now that everything had collapsed, she was to blame! The immense pressure weighed down on her like a mountain, making it nearly impossible for her to breathe.

The meeting ended in acrimony amidst repressed arguments and blame-shifting. Director Chen ordered Zhang Wei and Yu Ling's implementation team to produce a detailed review and a practical solution within three days, or the entire team would bear the consequences!

Yu Ling returned to her workstation, feeling like she'd lost a battle, exhausted both physically and mentally. Staring at the glaring data curves on her computer screen, frustration and powerlessness washed over her like a cold tide. Her earlier optimization ideas, while brilliant, seemed like a drop in the bucket in the face of such a devastating overall collapse. Where exactly was the problem? What was the root cause? How could the situation be reversed? Huge questions weighed heavily on her mind.

My phone vibrated. It was Zhao Chen.

ZhaoC: [Image: A steaming bowl of wonton noodles garnished with green onions and golden egg skin]

[ZhaoC]: Is the battle over? Victory and defeat are commonplace in the military. Let's eat first. I asked someone to run errands for you; they'll be downstairs in ten minutes. Think about it after you finish eating.

The brief text, accompanied by the picture of the bowl of wonton noodles that looked particularly warm and tempting under the light, was like a faint but firm light that pierced through the haze in Yu Ling's heart.

He was always like this, when she was most embarrassed and helpless, he used the most ordinary way to deliver the most caring care. The bowl of noodles seemed to have temperature, warming her stomach and her cold heart through the screen.

She sniffed and replied, "Yeah. Lost miserably."

【ZhaoC】：[pat head.jpg] Eat first. Even if the sky falls, you need the strength to hold it up.

Yu Ling held her phone, looking at the "pat on the head" emoji, imagining Zhao Chen's gentle smile as he said this, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up. Yeah, let's eat first.

Two days later, the project team was still shrouded in a low atmosphere. Zhang Wei was like a headless chicken, only able to angrily and incompetently blame her subordinates.

Yu Ling and the rest of the team frantically analyzed data and searched for the root cause, their eyes burning with sweat, but they couldn't pinpoint the core pain point. Director Chen dismissed several proposed solutions as "insignificant" and "lacking a fundamental breakthrough." As time ticked by, the air grew increasingly despairing.

Just when everything was at its wit's end, a notice suddenly popped up on the company's internal communication software:

【Personnel Appointment Notice】

After careful consideration and decision by the Group, Ms. Vivian Lin has been appointed Director of Marketing at Venusstar Technology Co., Ltd., with overall responsibility for the department. Former Director Chen Ming has been appointed to another position. Effective immediately.

Ms. Lin Wei has extensive experience in international brand marketing and internet operations, having previously held senior management positions at leading global consulting firm MBB and several multinational corporations. We are confident that under Ms. Lin Wei's leadership, Venusstar Technology's marketing department will embark on a new chapter!

This news was like a depth bomb, causing an uproar in the lifeless marketing department!

"Lin Wei? Vivian Lin? This name...sounds familiar?"

"From MBB?! Oh my god! God!"

"Airborne troops? Director Chen was fired?!"

"Look, look! There's a link to Mr. Lin's resume in the email! Click it and take a look!"

The office instantly filled with subdued chatter. Yu Ling, curious, clicked on the link. Lin Wei's resume showed a sophisticated, mature woman with refined makeup and a sharp, confident gaze. Her resume shone brightly: a Yale MBA, a McKinsey global partner, and the Asia-Pacific CMO of a multinational fast-moving consumer goods giant... Each one was dazzling enough to dazzle anyone.

Yu Ling's eyes fell on the "Previous Companies" column, and her pupils suddenly shrank! One line clearly read: Star Capital - Investment Director!

Morning Star Capital?! That mysterious and powerful top-tier venture capital firm, so well-known in the financial news?! Zhao Chen had previously mentioned being an "ordinary employee" at an "ordinary company," but he never mentioned the company's name! Could it be... could it be that Zhao Chen used to work at Morning Star Capital?! This new director, Lin Wei, parachuted in with a formidable background, was... his former colleague?!

This thought struck Yu Ling like lightning, freezing her in her seat! Her heart raced uncontrollably! Those forgotten mysteries—the top-tier daily necessities, the luxurious furniture, the Bentley keys, and the extraordinary insight and skill Zhao Chen had casually revealed—now seemed like scattered beads, instantly connected by the thread of "Chenxing Capital"! The answer, threatening to burst through her throat, was so powerful it threatened to burst through her.

Impossible! Zhao Chen…he clearly said he was an ordinary employee! How could he be working with such a powerful boss?!

Just as her mind was in a state of shock and confusion, the department assistant came over quickly and knocked on her desk: "Yu Ling, President Lin wants you to go to her office right now."

"Me?" Yu Ling snapped back to reality and pointed at herself, a look of astonishment on her face. The new director had just taken office, and the first person he summoned for a private meeting was... her, a small-time project worker who was currently struggling?

"Yes, it's you. Mr. Lin just arrived and his luggage hasn't even been put in the hotel yet. He asked to see you. Go quickly!" The assistant's tone was filled with urging and a hint of imperceptible envy.

Feeling anxious, doubtful, and deeply uneasy, Yu Ling walked towards the director's office, which had just been relocated. The door was ajar. She took a deep breath and knocked.

"Come in." A clear and pleasant female voice with a slight British accent came.

Yu Ling pushed the door open and entered. The office had been completely renovated: simple, modern, and imbued with power. Standing before the large floor-to-ceiling windows was a woman. She stood with her back to the door. Tall and well-proportioned, she wore a perfectly tailored smoky gray cashmere suit and skirt, outlining her sharp lines. Her chestnut-brown, medium-length hair was meticulously styled. Her mere presence from behind exuded a powerful aura and the oppressive feeling of someone who had long held a high position.

She turned around at the sound.

Lin Wei looked younger in person than in her photos, and even more striking. Her well-maintained face belied her age, her features deep and three-dimensional, and her makeup as exquisite as a magazine cover. Her piercing almond-shaped eyes, like the most precise scanner, instantly scanned Yu Ling from head to toe.

Her gaze lingered on Yu Ling's face for a few seconds, a subtle, elusive glance of... scrutiny flashing across her eyes. Then, that scrutiny transformed into a gentle yet distant, professional smile.

"Yu Ling? Please take a seat." Lin Wei pointed to the chair across from her desk. Her voice was clear and amiable, yet also imbued with undeniable authority. She herself sat back in the spacious leather office chair, her hands folded on the polished mahogany tabletop, her posture elegant and composed.

"Hello, Mr. Lin." Yu Ling sat down somewhat nervously, trying to calm herself. Facing this powerful new director up close, she felt her palms begin to sweat again.